Vehicle-wheel.



H. B. LAYMAN.

VEHICLE WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED 111111.25. 1913. .RENEWED $5111.26. |914.

1,142,334. Patented June 8, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Y I H b B fn/Wenko@ @5.31m S/tozro dwglan" B. LAYMAN.

VEHICLE WHEEL. v

APPLICATION FILED APR. 25. |913. RENEWED SEPT. 26, 1914.

1,142,334. Patented June 8, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

[NVE/WOR C53/ i Hebron B. Layman.

j l pgm @MTBE STATES erica.

HEBRON B. LAYMAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR F ONE-HALF T0 FRANK E. LONAS, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.

VEHICLE-WHEEL.

Application filed Aprii 25,. 1913, serial No. 763,483.

T0 all 107mm t may concern:

Be it known that I, HERoN B. LAYMAN, a citizen of the United States, and residing at Manhattan, in the county of New York` and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle-Wheels, of which -the following is a specification, such as will enable those skilled in the art to' which it appertainfs to make and use the same.

' Thisv invention relates to vehicle wheels, and particularly to wheels designed for usel in connection with p automobiles or'power driven vehicles, and still more particularly to wheels designed for u-se in connection with the front axles of vehicles of this class, in which the rear wheels serve as drive wheels, and the front wheels as steering or guide wheels; andthe object of the invention is to provide an improved wheel and axle construction for vehicles of this class which possesses the greatest possible strength and endurance in proportion to the weight thereof; a further object being to provide a wheel and axle construction lof the class specified together with my improved brake mechanism which may be easily applied whenever desired to check the vehicle or bring it to a stop, and which may be used in connection with the brake mechanism usually applied to the rear or drive wheels of the vehicle, or independent of said mechanism; a further object being to provide a wheel and axle construction of the class specified having improved means whereby the wheels of a vehicle may be manipulated in the operation of guiding said vehicle, and with these and other objects in l-view theinivention consists in-` a wheel and axle construction constructed as hereinafter described and claimed.

My improved wheel and axle construction comprises an axle havinga vertical upright spindle or spindles, and a wheel' construction involving a central non-rotary boxshaped member mounted therein, said member, while being non-rotary, being adapted to oscillate in a horizontal plane, together with the annular rotary wheel member inclosing the central non-rotary member, and having a central free running spindle and forming also a. brake drum, the central non-- rotary member being provided withY brake' shoes operating in connection with said' specication of Letters Patent. Patented J 11u68, i915.,

Renewed September 26, 1914. Serial No. 863,755.

ofa wheel andaxle construction involving A my invention, with parts thereof in full 1ines;-Fig. 2 a side view of the central or hub portion of the wheel only and looking in the directionwof the arrow 2' of Fig. 1, with an inner annularlinclosing hub plate and a central hub cap forming part of said construction removed, one-half being shown in section and the other in full linesg-Fig. 3 a diametrical section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, or the line 3 3 of Fig. 2;-Fig. 4 a view similar to Fig. l, but showing a modification ;-Fig.' 5 a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing' a modification, and ;-Fig. 6 a side view of the'inner annular detachable huh plate, shown in Figs. 1 and 3 inclusive, detached'.

In" the drawings forming part of this specification, reference being made to Fig. 1, I have shown' at @one end of the front axle of an automobile or power driven vehicle and the end of said axle is provided with a vertically arranged spindle or spindle head a2 having a bottom journal a3 and the top of which 'is providedfwith a supplemental spindle or spindle head whichL is oblong in transverse section and provided with' a' central aperture a which is also slightly oblong in transverse section, and the opposite side walls of which are beveled outwardly, as shown at aP, and the top of the supplemental head ai is provided with a journal al.

Mounted on and inclosing the spindle or spindle head a2 andv the supplemental spindle or spindle headl c4 of the axle a is a box or box-shaped non-rotary hub member b which isapproximately circular informy in horizontal section and which, in vertical section, is oblong in form and provided at the top and bottom thereof with circular hub or head portions b2 and-:713, and the top circular hub or head portionlf?)2 of the non-rotary hub member b is provided with upward inner and outer extensions 6'i having circular heads l65 within which are placed bearings 66 through which are passed sleeve .bearings 67 on which are' mounted arc-shaped brake arms c, and the parts 6i are provided on their inner sides with reinforcing ribs 68.

The box-shaped non-rotary hub member 6 is divided centrally and vertically into two parts having flanges 6' through which are passed bolts 610 by which said parts are se- -cured together, and the brake arms c are in their outer surfaces'with fibrous facings d2.

The inner and outer sides of the non-rotary hub member 6 are also provided with circular heads or hub portions 611 and 612, and

- mounted on the inner hub or head portion 612 is a detachable cap 61?, and mountedon the outer hub or head portion 611 is a steering arm e having a' circular head e2, and the 'steering arm e is curved inwardly and outwardly and provided at its outer end with a knuckle head es in which is pivoted one end of the steering rod e4, it being-understood, that in practice, the steering rod e1 extends transversely of the vehicle and is connected with both the wheels of the front axle, as in other vehicles of this class. Thehead e3 of the arm e is fork-shaped in form andprovided with a central bearing e5 which passes through a head e with which the rod e4l is provided, but the connecting of these parts may be made in any desired manner. An, annular cap plate f is also mounted on the hub or head 612 and connected therewith in any ldesired manner, and said plate is shown detached in Fig. 6' and is provided with an aperture. f2 through which the knuckle head e of the steering arm e passes, and with a slot f3 through which the end of the front axle a passes, and said plate is also provided with another slot f4 through which is passed a brake rod g having a cam head g2 which operates between the free ends c* of the brake arms c to operate said brake'shoes, and it will also be understood that the brake rod g extends transversely of the vehicle and operates the brake shoes in both lof the wheels on the front axle. '.I have also. shown in Figs: 2A yand 3, contractile springs g3 connected w1th the bottom part of the non-rotar -hub member and with the brake arms c for the purpose of drawing said arms inwardly and releasing the brake shoes from contact with the drum It, but said springs are not essential and may or may not be employed.

An annular rotary hub member and brake drum L incloses the central non-rotary hub member and is preferably provided on its outer face with annular ribs k2 which give strength and rigidity to said member, and said rotary hub and brake member is provided with: or formed in connection with an outer inclosing plate la? having a central hub portion h4, and passing transversely through the supplemental spindle or spindle head a1 of the axle ct is a wheel spindle having a .circular head 2 provided with a rim 3 secured in the hub portion h4 of the plate k3,

and said headl2 is provided with a'flange or rim plate 4 which lits on the inner side of the plate 6,3, and is of the same dimensions and is providedat its perimeter with a flange 5 which its within the brake drum member h, and said brake drum member 6,

the plates z,3 and 1 with the hub member 3 of the rib plates 6,3, and the head 2 of the ,Spindle are all secured together and rotate togther in the operation of the wheel,

las hereinafter described.

' Placed between the outer and inner' ends of the wheel spindle and the corresponding head or hub members at the outer and inner sides of the non-rotary hubvmember 6 are roller bearings lc of the Timken type and which comprise roller bearing or race mem` bers 7a2 secured to the spindle and corresponding race or bearing members les secured to the hub members or portions 611 and 612 of the box-shaped non-rotary hub member and between which rollers are placed; and corresponding roller bearings 7c are also placed at the bottom of the spindle or spindle head a2 of the axle a, and at the top of the supplemental spindle or spindle head at, in connection with the trunnions a3 and the inner race or bearing members are connected with the trunnions a and a7, while the outer race or bearing members are connected with the heads or hubs 62 and 63 of the non-rotary member 6. f

A cap fm, is detachably connected with the hub member h4 of the plate h and incloses the head of the wheel spindle and in `the al, and in this arrangement of said bearings v construction shown, said cap is provided I cross section, and between said rim and said rotary h'ub member and brake drum is in iso .\ series of spokes p2, and between the louter and inner series of spokes p and p2 are placed two other series of spokeszp? which cross each other Acentrally of the space o2 and which are connected with the opposite side edge portions of the lbrake drum and rotary hub member, and with the opposite side portions of the rim o, and all these spokes are what are known as wire spokes and may be formed and secured in place in the usual manner.

A tire r of any kind or class may be mounted on the rim 0, but in the drawings 1I have shown an ordinary inflatable rubber tire, but it must be understood that the shape of the rim in cross section and the character of the tire u sed thereon form no part ofv my-invention, but in the operation of the wheel, the rim o which is connected with the drum and rotary hub member 7L turns with said drum and with the spindle i, as will be understood.

With both the front wheels of the vehicle constructed and mounted on the front axle, as herein shown and described, the rod e4 may be operated to turn said wheels in a horizontal plane in 'order to guide thel vehicle, or turn it in any desired direction, and the rod g may be operated so as to force the brake shoes d into contact with the rotary drum and hub member It, and it will be seen that the brake apparatus herein shown and described will be of great force, and by means thereof the speed of the vehicle may be quickly reduced at any time vand said vehicle brought to a 'stop whenever necessary.

In the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, the end a ot the axle is in a horizontal position and the spindle or spindle lheads a2 and a, the'non-rotary hub member b, the rotary brake drumand hub member' L and the rim o of the wheel are all in vthe same vertical plane, and the spindle z' passes through the supplemental spindle or spindle head a4 of the axle `an vin a plane at right angles to said spindle or spindle head, but in Fig. 4 I have shown a construction in which the end a of the axle is inclined inwardly to a slight extent, and the spindle or spindle heads a2 and a4 of said axle correspondingly inclined inwardly, this inclination being indicated by the line while the rim aand the rotary hub member and brake drum z. are inclined outwardly, this inclination being indicated by the line m2. In this construction the body portion of the central non-rotary hub member I) is also in the plane of the spindle or spindle heads a2 and a4 of the axle a, but the supports b4 of the brake shoe arms c are inclined outwardly in aplane parallel with that of the line m2, and the wheel spindle z' is at an angle of 90 to the .line w?, and the downward convergence of the lines and m2 is such as to bring them to the neck s2 of the head s, or'these 'parts -Y may be connected or secured together in desired manner, and the outer end of the/- neck s2 is provided with the usual hub nuts, S5. The arrangement of the spokes in this construction is also different from that shown in Fig. l, the spokes in this construction consisting of two series p4 and p5 connected with the opposite side portions of the rim o and with an annular rim s6 on the sleeve s3, and two other series p6 and p7 connected with the opposite side portions of the rim o and with the outer side edge portion of the brake drum and rotary hub member il., and withy these exceptions, the construction shown in Fig. 4 is the same4 as that shown in Fig. 1.

In Fig. l I have shown another modilication of the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive in which a vertical spindle t is substituted for thefsupplemental spindle or head a4 of the spindle or head a2,sa1d spindle t being provided with a shank t2 which passes downwardly through the head a2 of the axle a and the upper and lower ends 4of which are provided with trunnions t and t4 which take the place of the trunnions a7 and as, and in this form of construction, the non-rotary box-'shaped hub member b is'provided with an enlargement t5 at one side thereof through which the spindle z' passes, and with these exceptions, the construction shown in Fig. 5 is the same as that shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive and will loperate in the same manner.

The supplemental spindles or heads a4 of the heads a2 ot the axle a in Figs. 1 and 4 may be formed integrally with-said axle, or they may be provided with spindles mounted in or passing downwardly through said heads, and various other changes in and modifications of the construction herein described may be made, within the scope of the appended claims, .without departing from the spirit of my invention or sacriicing itsadvantages. y

With the construction shown in Fig. 1

and herein described, it will be seen that the axial line of the wheel spindle is parallel with and above the corresponding line of the axle, and this is vapproximately true of the I i at a slight angle to the corresponding line of the axle, and in both forms of construction, the wheel spindle is in the same vertical plane as the axle, and this construction and arrangement of parts, when taken in connection with the details of the construction of the wheel or wheels, whereby they are connected with the axle, and the load of .the vehicle supported, strengthens the wheels and facilitates the operation thereof, especially iny vconnection with the horizontal oscillation of said wheels, in the operation of guiding the vehicle. It must also be borne in mind that while I have shown and described my improved wheel or wheels as particularly applicable to the front axle of an automobile or power driven vehicle, my invention is not limited to such application or use, as my improved wheels may also be applied to the -rear axleof an automobile Ior other vehicle of the class specified, all that would be necessary being to substitute the spindles ofthe rear axle for the spindles e' herein shown and described, and provide a stationary connection`for the central non-rotary hub member b.

Although I have described the parts a2 and a4 respectively as a spindle or spindle head, and a supplemental spindle or spindle head, it will be understood that theseparts, taken together, form the spindle or spindles of the axle and extend above and below the same toprovide for the bearings of the non rotary central part or hub member of the wheel, and these spindle members may .be formed integrally with the axle, or independent thereof, in which latter event, the spindle will be mounted in a head formed on, or in connection with, the axle.

'Having fully. described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a wheel and axle construction, an axle provided Swith an upright end spindle which extends above and below the same and the'top part of which above the axle is provided with a transverse opening, a central box-member. mounted .on the top, and bottom of said spindle and adapted to .oscillate in a horizontal lane, an annular rotary l same, and is provided above the axle with a' member inclosing t e central box member and provided with a Wheel'spindle which passes inwardly through the aperture in the axle spindle, and a rim melnber connected with the annular rotary member, the wheel spindle being above and in the plane of the axle, and being approximately parallel therewith. A l f 2. In a wheel and axle construction, an

' axle provided With a vertically arrangedend spindle which extends above and below the transverse aperture, a central box lmember mounted on the top and bottom of said spindle and inclosing the same and adapted rim connected with the annular rotary member, the wheel spindle being above and in the plane of the axle, and being approximately parallel therewith.

3. In a wheel 4and axle construction, an axle providedwitha vertically arranged end spindle which extends above and below the same and the top portion of which is provided with a transverse aperture, a central box member mounted on the vtop and bottom .of said spindle and inclosing the same and adapted to oscillate horizontally thereon, and provided with brake shoes, an annular rotary member inclosing' the central box member and adapted to Serve as a brake drum and the outer side of which is inclosed by a plate provided with a central wheel spindle which passes through the aperture in the axle spindle and through the central box member and is provided with end bearings therein, a rimconnected with the annular rotary member, and means for oscillating the central' box member, the annular rotary member and the rim in a horizontal plane on the spindle of the axle, the said axle spindle and the central box member being in a plane different from that of the annular `rotary member and the rim, the wheel spindle being above and in the plane of the axle, and being approximately parallel therewith.

4. In a wheel and axle construction, `an axle provided with an upright end spindle which extends above and below said axle, a central box member mounted on the top and bottom of said spindle and adapted to oscillate in a horizontal plane thereon, said axle spindleextending vertically through said box member and being provided at the top and bottom thereof with bearings, an annular rotary member inclosing the central box member and provided on the outer side thereof with a plate having a central-wheel spindle which passes inwardly through the with the annular rotary member, the wheel spindle being above and in the plane of the axle, and being approximately parallel therewith..

5. In a wheel and axle construction, an 1.30

axle provided with a vertical upwardly di'- rectcd end spindle, a spindle box mounted thereon vand adapted to oscillate in a horizontal plane, said spindle box being provided with a central horizontal wheel spindle casing and a vertical axle spindle casing, and through which the spindle of the axle passes, and a wheel member mounted on and rotatable on the `spindle box and adapted to oscillate horizontally therewith and provided centrally of its outer side with a, spindle head which incloses the outer end of the Spindle 'box and which is provided with a wheel spindle which passes inwardly and horizontally through the wheel spindle casing therein.

6. In a wheel and axle construction, an

axle provided with an upright spindle having an aperture, a central box member mounted on said spindle, and through which Said spindle passes, said box member being adapted to oseillzite in a horizontal plane, and a wheel member inclosing said box member and provided on its outer side with a Wheel spindle which passes inwardly through seid box member.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I havel signed my name in presence of the subscribing Witnesses this 23rd day of April, 1913.

HEBRON B. LAYMAN.

Witnesses:

S. ANDREWS, C. MULREANY. 

